


The Fourth Wall: Project W.O.L.F

by kooili



Series: Meta [5]
Category: Holby City
Genre: Bernie Lives, Everybody Lives, F/F, Meta, Not Canon Compliant, Parody, canon defiant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 18:53:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19910536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kooili/pseuds/kooili
Summary: Someone forgot to let Alex into the secret.





	The Fourth Wall: Project W.O.L.F

“Can I buy you a drink?”

Alex lifted her head and turned in the direction of the approaching voice. Her eyes remained blurry for a little longer than usual and she blinked hard to regain some focus. It had been a very long couple of days and her body was still adjusting from both the jet lag and the constant damp chill that hung in the air. 

“No…” The single syllable stuck in her throat and she swallowed hard before trying again. “Thanks, I’m still good,” she mumbled, nudging the near empty tumbler of whisky she was holding.

Serena ignored her answer and raised a finger to catch the attention of the bartender. “Another one of these for the lady and I’ll have my usual.” 

The young man behind the bar smiled and immediately busied himself preparing the order. Alex barely had time to drain her glass before the drinks arrived. 

“Cheers,” she said, giving Serena a weary smile, lifting the tumbler to her lips.

Serena took a sip of her Shiraz before answering. “You look like you needed it. It’s been quite a day after all.”

They sat in silence for a moment before Alex finally spoke. “How are you holding up?”

“As well as can be expected,” Serena answered breezily. “It would have been much better if the caterers hadn’t messed up. And don’t get me started on the florist - everyone knows that a dash of colour always brightens up the room but they insisted on an all white theme.”

Alex frowned as she stared at the other woman, surprised at the flippant tone of her reply. Serena must be so overcome with grief that her mind was still stuck in denial.

“It was a beautiful ceremony. And I’m sure Bernie would have approved of the lovely flowers.”

Serena snorted. “Not bloody likely. She specifically said she wanted rainbow tulips but as you saw, they got boring white roses and lilies instead.”

Alex nodded sympathetically. “Perhaps tulips aren’t in season. I’m sure they would have fulfilled her last wishes if they could. She could have changed her mind about her favourite flowers since her will was written.”

Serena took a large gulp of wine before answering. “That’s not what she told me last night.”

Alex blinked and shook her head. Surely she’d misheard Serena. “She told you they were her favourite flowers last night?”

“Yes. The director was too busy at first but I told them Bernie sent me. Got a meeting straightaway,” Serena explained, a triumphant smirk on her face as she lifted the wine glass for another sip.

An image of a confused funeral director patting Serena’s hand indulgently crossed Alex’s mind. She scrambled for a suitable response but was spared the need to when the other woman continued speaking, wine glass set down a little more vigorously than necessary. “I even told him where to get them on sale. Tesco is having an offer on tulips and they could have done up the whole place for a fraction of the price. Bernie will have a fit when she finds out!”

Poor Serena, Alex thought sadly. The grief from her sudden loss must be taking a toll on her. She felt a lump in her throat and she picked her next words carefully. “Serena,” she said, gently, waiting for the other woman to look her in the eye. “Bernie couldn’t have told you anything last night. She’s...” her voice wavered and cracked as she continued, “Bernie’s gone. It’s been hard for all of us and you especially but…”

The look on Serena’s face made her stop mid-sentence. Alex had expected drunken denial, tears, anger even, but Serena’s reaction caught her completely off guard. 

“What? Oh...” A hand flew to her mouth and she started laughing, then thumped her palm against the bar counter. “I completely forgot that you don’t know.” It was a long while before the laughter died down to a few inelegant snorts. Serena looked round, making sure that no one was within earshot before leaning towards Alex and whispered, “Bernie’s fine.”

Alex resisted the reflex to shrink away in case her reaction exacerbated Serena’s madness. She took a deep breath and hoped that her voice was steady. “I do know, Serena. I was in Mogadishu with her when it happened, remember? I’m assuming they told you everything.”

“Yes, yes. A bomb went off and she went missing for…how long was it? Nearly a week before the Army found her in the rubble just in time for Bernie to take her last breath,” Serena answered drily, rolling her eyes. “How very efficient and believable.”

“What?” Alex blinked in disbelief at the flippant response. 

Serena arched an eyebrow and smiled. “Big macho Army medic fading to black with impeccable timing.”

Alex turned towards her, disbelief rapidly replaced with anger. “Maybe this is your way of coping or maybe you’ve just gone mad with grief but I lost my best friend back in Somalia. I loved her once and I know that she loved you, right to the end. And you know what, Serena Campbell? I feel sorry for her that she did because you’re acting like losing your wife is nothing but an inconvenient joke.”

Serena’s face straightened solemnly as she considered her words. Alex drew a deep breath to calm herself and emptied drink in one large gulp. She was about to signal the bartender for a refill when she felt Serena’s hand stilling hers.

“You really loved her, didn’t you?” 

Alex shrugged and ran a hand through her hair. “Yes I did, but that’s water under the bridge. She’s been in love with you from the moment you met.”

There was a pause as Serena chewed her lip thoughtfully. She finished her wine and slid off the barstool, signalling for Alex to follow suit. “I think we should both call it a night. I’m taking you on a road trip tomorrow and it’ll be an early start.

* * *

“Where are you taking me?” Alex asked for the umpteenth time and Serena gave the same answer with an enigmatic smile every single time - “You’ll see.”

They had started out from Holby when it was still dark and sped northwards on the motorway. The sun was well above the horizon by the time they turned off onto a smaller road. Their progress slowed down and Alex scrutinised each road sign they passed as she tried to work out what their final destination was. She gave up after the first few miles - the only thing she knew for certain was that they were somewhere rural and the roads were getting narrower.

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Alex tried a different tack, clutching onto the handle of the door as the car ran over a cattle grid. 

Serena gave her a sideways glance. “Not far to go now. And I promise that it’ll be worth the journey.”

The single track road weaved through the countryside and they soon pulled up to a large set of gates flanked by high stone walls. Serena pulled out her mobile and tapped something on the screen. Alex watched as a low buzz sounded and the rusted iron gates creaked as they opened inwards.

They were at the end of a long paved driveway and Alex could just about see a low building at the end of it. As they approached, it was clear that they were on a farm of some sort. The main building had distinctive black and white timber cladding across its front. Serena pulled the car to a stop and turned off the engine.

“We’re here,” she said to Alex as she pushed open the car door. “Come along.”

Any initial apprehension about where she had been taken was now replaced with curiosity. They crossed the courtyard and past the entrance to the house and towards a field around the back instead. Alex could see that they weren’t alone. There was a tall blonde woman digging in a vegetable garden by the house. She had a companion working alongside - a fiery redhead, a full head shorter. They both turned in their direction and waved to Serena who smiled and waved back.

“You’re early today,” the redhead called out. “Couldn’t keep away, eh?”

Serena smiled. “I have a guest with me, Fleur, so I’ll ask you to behave just this once.”

The blonde wiped her hands on the trousers of her overall. “I don’t think she’s capable, Serena, so don’t waste your breath.”

The remark earned her a playful jab to the side. She responded with a light slap on the other woman’s behind before leaping away, earning a loud squeal. Using her longer legs to advantage, she leapt out the reach with a victorious whoop before the redhead could retaliate.

Serena shook her head in laughter. “You’re just as bad as her, MacMillan. If any two people deserved each other...”

“Oi, you’re one to talk,” the redhead teased. Her companion joined her, grinning as she slipped a hand around her partner’s waist. “Takes one to know one after all, eh?”

Raising her hands in surrender, Serena conceded with a gracious smile. “Guilty as charged. Speaking of which, where’s…”

The blonde raised a hand and signalled over her shoulder. “Round the back working on the project.”

Alex watched as Serena sighed loudly before replying. “That’s what I thought. Right ladies, I will let you get back to the veg. See you later.”

They rounded the side of a building and the scenery opened up onto a large field of rolling green grass. It was mostly empty except for one corner which had the partial frame of a wooden building erected on it. A lone figure was bent over and sawing a section of wood on a workbench. As they approached, Alex found herself staring at the back of a woman who was dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans. There was something oddly familiar about the slope of the shoulders and the mess of blonde curls tied in a short ponytail. She turned at that very moment and Alex gasped, stumbling backwards. 

“Bern?!”

Bernie’s face broke into the widest smile as she dropped the saw she was using and loped across the field in large steps. “Alex!” She threw her arms around the dazed woman in rugby tackle fashion before pulling away and kissing her on the cheeks. “It’s so good to see you again. I’m glad Serena convinced you to come,” she exclaimed.

“How...what? I don’t understand. You’re supposed to be dead,” Alex muttered confused.

Serena sidled up to her wife and leaned in for a long breath-stealing kiss. “Oh, she’s very much alive, I assure you,” she purred, swiping a corner of her mouth to tidy the smeared lipstick after they pulled apart. 

Bernie’s cheeks pinked as she turned to face Alex who was still looking at her like she was an apparition. “I know this must all seem quite strange.”

“Strange doesn’t even come close,” Alex replied, waving an arm at the scenery. “I’m standing in a random field in the middle of nowhere talking to my dead friend. It feels like I’ve walked into an alternate dimension!”

“Yorkshire,” Bernie said. “West Yorkshire to be precise. In fact we’re only a mile away from…”

Serena jabbed Bernie in the side to make her stop. Alex looked as if she was about let off a primal scream if her wife continued showing off her knowledge of the local geography . She cleared her throat and explained. “It’s not quite an alternate dimension. We’re just off script.”

Alex tilted her head curiously. “I always thought that was an urban myth. Once you leave Holby, you’re gone for good.” 

“Not quite. In spite what the higher ups would like us to believe, there is life outside Holby,” Serena said, smiling. 

“It’s really nice here - much better than pinballing randomly around Africa because they lost the atlas a couple of seasons ago, ” Bernie chipped in. “Serena will be moving in once her contract is up, of course and in the meantime, there’s Roxanna and she’s good company. And Fleur visits quite often now that she has a reason to.”

“So you’re not really dead,” Alex said, as much for confirmation as to convince herself that this was really happening. 

“No,” Bernie replied. “I got a little too involved with W.O.L.F and they decided to ship me out permanently.”

“Oh, is that the family business?” Alex asked.

“Not quite,” Bernie let out a honk of laughter, “but I’ll explain it all when we go inside. I’m sure you have more than a few questions for me.”

Alex nodded, still recovering from the shock. They started back towards the farmhouse, Serena and Bernie hand in hand, Alex following just behind. She paused, taking another look at the unfinished wooden structure. “One question, while we’re out here.”

The couple stopped and turned around, waiting for Alex to speak. “Why were you in the middle of a field building a… what is this?” she asked, pointing at the timber frame.

Bernie glanced proudly at her handiwork. “That’s going to be a barn.”

“A barn?” Alex asked. If this were a hallucination, it was certainly a corker. “Why are you building a barn?”

Serena laid a hand on Alex’s shoulder and sighed. “Oh, please, don’t get her started.”

“Why not? Barns are good.”


End file.
